The present invention relates more particularly to a control panel intended to be arranged in the passenger space of a motor vehicle, in particular on the dashboard, and which includes at least one control button in the form of a resistive key designed to control a determined function, for example to control starting or stopping of the air-conditioning function.
The control panel includes a cover which is mounted on a support and which is provided with at least one detection zone designed to form a control button. A force sensor is arranged between the cover and the support, behind the detection zone, so as to produce an electrical control signal when a user applies a sufficient pressure force to the detection zone.
To compensate for the mechanical plays between the force sensor and the detection zone, it is known to arrange a spacing plate made of elastomeric material between the force sensor and the cover that must allow a direct transmission of the tactile pressure force to the force sensor via the spacing plate to be ensured under all circumstances. To this end, the spacing plate is mounted axially compressed between the force sensor and the cover.
To allow the detection of the tactile pressure, it is necessary for the thickness of the cover in the detection zone to be relatively small so as to allow a slight elastic deformation of the cover towards the sensor on tactile pressure. Now, the mounting of the spacing plate in compression between the sensor and the cover tends to cause a permanent outward deformation of the cover at the level of the spacing plate that degrades the external appearance of the cover. Moreover, the distribution of the pressure over the spacing plate is not even, the pressure generally being mainly on the outer peripheral edge of the spacing plate.
These disadvantages are particularly prejudicial in applications subject to large temperature variations, as in a motor vehicle, which can result in a loss of pressure on the spacing plate.